


This Side of Mortality

by ilcocoabean



Series: Where We Rule the World [1]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Gen, Minecraft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-26
Updated: 2013-07-26
Packaged: 2017-12-21 10:30:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/899267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ilcocoabean/pseuds/ilcocoabean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gavin had only recently gotten his clothes enchanted and Geoff had already seen a priest twice about engraving his memories when they first met. Or alternatively three times Geoff met Gavin and one time Gavin met Geoff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This Side of Mortality

**Author's Note:**

> Omfg okay right so I feel I should explain this one. This fic? NOT PLANNED. The other side stories were definitely ideas roaming around in my head but this one? This idea came out of fucking NO WHERE at 2 in the fucking morning and wouldn't go away. So yeah here it is. Title comes from [Soldier On](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_BkTJb9gq8) by The Temper Trap.
> 
> Read @ [LJ](http://sandedletters.livejournal.com/15496.html).

The first time Geoff doesn't even get his name.

 

The kid was small. Not in stature—he was about as tall as Geoff—but in terms of bulk. He looked so breakable. Geoff had no idea how he managed to get all the way out here.

“Listen kid, just go back to your village.” Geoff said. “They can take care of you.”

“But I've come to visit. That's all.” The boy pleaded hurriedly. “I just want to see how you guys made Achievement City.”

Jack looked at Geoff with a long suffering look but otherwise said nothing. He was waiting on Geoff to decide.

Geoff huffed in annoyance. “Fine. But only for a day. Then you're out of here.” He beckoned the kid to follow them and he was so excited that he actually tripped. Geoff rolled his eyes. “We're headed into the mines for today. Stay close and don't wander off.”

Of course they lost the kid. That was the entire point. Ryan was horrified when he heard about the story later.

"We could have used the extra help!" The man said, exasperated. 

“Bandits start young.” Geoff said with a shrug and took a swift drink.

**. . .**

The second time was a little hazy.

 

Geoff cursed and ran up a hill before turning to jump onto the vines hanging from a tree. He hauled himself up, working his way to the top. He had every intention of stopping there for the night but one glance below him had him scrambling for the vines of the next tree. The wolves were right behind him, growling and barking at him, eyes red and snouts snapping loudly as they clawed their way up.

A voice above him yelled. “Get down!”

Geoff ducked instinctively just in time to hear an arrow whizzing above him and hitting it's mark strong and true. There was a whine immediately followed by more snarls.

“Get up, get up, get up! C'mon, start climbing!”

Geoff listened to the voice and continued upward, lunging for the next vine. He began to climb but stopped and shouted when he felt teeth sink into his thigh. “FUCK!”

His mysterious hero was suddenly pelting arrows down, one just barely grazing Geoff's arm. Geoff gasped in pain but didn't let that stop him. He grunted and lunged for a tree branch, swinging one leg over it, straddling it momentarily as he leaned back against the tree. He glanced at his injuries. His leg would have to be treated by a priest and if he had to guess, he'd be limping for a few days. His arm would also need looking after. The cut was deep and stung badly. That bow had to be enchanted. There was no way it couldn't be.

The wolves however weren't smart enough to realize that and before long there was one final whine and then silence. Geoff was tired and couldn't even think of moving but he knew he had to. He made to get up but ended up falling back against the tree. He was just going to rest his eyes for a bit. Catch his breath.

“Geoff! Geoff! You idiot, don't fall asleep! Oh bullocks!”

**.**

Geoff woke with the sun's rays and a chicken clucking at his ear. He sat up and looked around. He was at the top of a tree in what appeared to be a small house. It was mostly wooden planks propped up against each other with a small opening. It was empty save for a few apples lying beside him. His wounds were bandaged but it didn't seem there was anyone around to take credit for that.

With a shrug Geoff dug into his pocket for his headset and flicked it on. “Hey guys? Geoff here. I could use some help at the jungle biome.”

The response was immediate; Jack's voice filtering through the connection and although his first words were a long tirade of scolding, Geoff could hear the underlying relief in his voice. He didn't have to wait long before he and Ryan were on their way to rescue him.

When they saw the bodies of wolves littered about they glanced up at him, incredulous.

Jack moved to help Geoff down. “Your work?”

“Nope.” Geoff shook his head.

“Then who's?” Ryan asked.

Geoff shrugged. “Never got to see his face.”

**. . .**

The third time he finally got a name.

 

Geoff, Joel and Jack had traveled to a village a day's walk from Achievementburg in order to get their memories engraved for the third time in their lives. Geoff was going to have his dog tags engraved, Jack was going to use his gloves and Joel had brought a hoodie. At the moment Joel was staring at the gold ingots (the librarian was exchanging them for emeralds) with such intense scrutiny that Geoff couldn't help but laugh. 

“I just don't understand why this isn't used as currency instead.” Joel said. “Emeralds are useless. You can't even forge them into anything else. Gold is useful for powering rails, for clocks, and they even mine faster for whatever reason. You'd think people would want more of it.”

“Gold breaks too easily.” Jack replied easily.

“Yeah but who says you have to use it?” Joel continued. “You could just keep it. Engrave it with memories and then bam! Never use it again. They're the best for engraving.”

“Gold still breaks easily.”

“But–”

The sound of the door opening caused them to stop talking and look up. The priest was showing a young man out. He had a scarf in his hands, that looked to be the skin of a creeper. Geoff stared at it for a few moments before staring up at the owner. He had brown and slightly wild hair that stuck up at odd ends. He wore mostly green the same shade of his scarf and all in the likeness of a creeper. Beside him there was another young man who wore mostly leather clothing with the exception of a scarf around his neck which seemed to be made from the fur of a wolf.

“Holy shit!” The one in the creeper suit said. “It's Geoff!”

“Excuse me?” Geoff raised a brow. “Have we met?”

“Yeah!” He nodded enthusiastically. “You and Jack over there left me in a mine once and then I saved you from wolves about a month ago. Had to drag a wolf back to Slow-Mo for Dan here so that's why I couldn't stay.”

Geoff blinked at the sudden burst of energy from the guy. He was wrapping his scarf around his neck and moving forward with an outstretched hand which Geoff awkwardly took.

“Name's Gavin.”

**. . .**

And then the one time Geoff had to return the favor.

 

Geoff grumbled as he walked through the forest. He really needed to stop drinking so much around Jack. Damn fucker knew exactly how to use those moments of weakness to get him to agree to anything. At least Caleb was around to help even if he was being a little shit about the whole thing.

“Seriously.” Caleb began. “How did you go through all of your iron?”

Geoff shrugged. “Swords and shit man. You know how it is.”

“Yeah but...” Geoff could practically hear the grin in Caleb's voice. “It's not like either of you fight much?”

“Fuck off.” Geoff replied. “Let's just get a move on with this.”

They were about to enter the cave when the sound of hissing reached their ears. Geoff raised his pickaxe, his other hand fumbling for the sword at his belt. Fuck. he should have had his sword ready. He turned and was shocked to see the familiar floppy brown hair of Gavin.

Just as he was about to greet him he realized the hissing was coming from behind him. Two creepers were huddled in the shadows of the cave. Beside him Caleb stepped forward, sword already drawn out.

Gavin raised his hands quickly. “No wait! Don't hurt them! They don't mean any harm. See?” Gavin stepped back between the creatures, arms coming up around them. “They're friendly.”

Caleb looked to Geoff for confirmation. He kept his pickaxe raised but nodded.

“What's your business here at Achievement City?” Caleb asked.

Geoff shook his head and was about stop him when suddenly Gavin let out a gasp. “Wait. You're from Achievement City? Oh man. I've been traveling for months trying to find you guys. My name's Gavin and I want to join you.”

That... wasn't right.

Before Geoff could say anything though the hissing came back again and this time the creepers didn't appear to be stopping. Gavin turned to them, panic wide in his eyes.

“Wait, guys, no. Stop it!”

Geoff cast a glance at Caleb and nodded. Together they reached forward and began to drag Gavin back. This just seemed to anger the monsters even more and they began to swell, hissing growing even louder. Gavin resisted them, trying to return to the creepers, frantic.

“No, please! Don't do it!”

The force of the explosion knocked them off their feet. Geoff's head hit the trunk of a fallen tree with a sickening crack. The last thing he saw before blacking out was the cave crumbling in on itself, creepers no where to be seen.

**.**

Geoff woke to the sound of a sheep bleating in his ear. He groaned and swatted the animal away. Blinking hard through the pain, Geoff sat up. The sun was high above their heads, signaling they had a little under six hours to return to Achievement City.

He looked around slowly. The creeper's skins were strewn about the clearing, and there was a giant hole where they'd been standing, some of which had been filled in with stone from the cave's entrance. Behind him Caleb was partially lying in a pond. His arm was sliced open, probably from the sword that had fallen out of his hand, but otherwise he seemed unharmed. Gavin however, was lying a few feet away and his clothes were singed. He'd taken most of the blow.

Ignoring the trickle of blood running down his neck, Geoff crawled over to him. Blood was oozing from the young man's chest and his skin was badly burnt. He couldn't have possibly survived that. Yet as he sat back, Geoff heard the unmistakable sound of breathing. He reached for Gavin's neck and felt for a pulse. It was weak but steady.

“Caleb!” Geoff called out. “C'mon. We gotta get this idiot to a priest!”

**.**

Geoff sat at Gavin's bedside for the better part of a week. Jack and Ryan both came in at different times of the day to force him to shower and eat but any other attempts to get him to leave the room were fruitless. He stayed with Gavin, falling asleep in his chair when the exhaustion got to him.

When Gavin finally woke, he was screaming. Geoff who had been dozing for the past hour was startled awake and reached over to hold him down, muttering reassurances. Eventually the boy calmed down enough to look at Geoff.

“Who are you?” He asked.

What was he supposed to say? He couldn't ask about Dan. He couldn't ask about Slow-Mo-vile. Gavin was showing all the signs of a respawn. And if he had respawned, why had he left Slow-Mo? Had something so terrible happened to the tiny village that he'd respawned in the wild?

Geoff swallowed and offered a weak smile. “My name's Geoff. I'm the leader of Achievement City.”


End file.
